English
girl
Girl comes from Middle English gerle ‘young person (boy or girl)’.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gerle‘young person’
- Englishearliest quotation 1889girl
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gerle‘young person’
- Englishearliest quotation 1889girl
Earliest quotation: 1889, Rudyard Kipling, The Education of Otis Yeere: “My dear girl, what has he done?" said Mrs.…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer- ‘less, short’
card, chart, rocket, chronic, cartoon, chorus, cartel, cartridge, carton, carte, synchronous, urchin, crony, synchronize, cartography, cron, germanium, cartouche, 33 more
Today it means
noun A female child.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English gerle / girl